Thanks for responsesThank-you everyone who has responded to my first post. Thanks especially to "BARBarians" for your thoughtful reply. We are deciding this week what to buy, and will post again when we start our new tank.

HelloTry to maximise the size of the aquarium with that budget. The absolute minimum for a low maintenance tank is 15 gallons. Get some cheap and easy to replace fluorescent bulbs. Keeping in mind that you do want a low-maintenance tank, you do not need a high wattage light source because I assume there will be no live plants in the tank. As long as it is bright enough to light up your tank, it would be enough. One watt per gallon is sufficient. If the light source is too bright, you will have algae problems. As for fish, get the most hardy of fish. My personal favourites are barbs. Keep a maximum of 3-4 species of fish for a more natural display. 5 Golden barbs, 5 cherry barbs, and another 5 sterbai corydoras are perfect in a 30 gallon tank. Get a heater if where you are from gets colder than 22 degrees Celsius. As for substrate, get the smallest pebbles you can find but not as fine as sand. Get naturally coloured substrate or go for jet black. Get a couple of rocks or drift wood as decoration. If you are going for huge a iwagumi type rocks make sure it is well balanced in the tank. The two biggest rocks will be on either sides on the tank and a smaller one to be somewhere in the middle. If only one huge rock or ornament is selected, put the rock on the left centre of the tank. If you are using driftwood, get those which have many branches, not the big stocky looking ones. Compliment the set up with your plastic plants only if they look natural. Depending on stocking, a 30 percent weekly water change should be done. Make sure the water has been dechlorinated and cholaramine got rid off with appropriate products. Feed a maximum of twice a day and do not overfeed to ensure excellent water quality. As for the filter, I use top box filters. A power head feeds water into a box which is placed on top of the aquarium. In the box, I fill it with robust sponges and ceramic rings at the bottom. The box has a little hole and a tube leading the water back into the aquarium. It is low cost and very easily maintained too. Get an aquarium hood to keep the fish in and dust out. If unable to find one on the market, get a glass sheet made or plastic cover to do the job.

Advise request to upgrade our old tankHi Everyone, I would appreciate your thoughts....

The old freshwater tank in our library leaks around the edges, needs a whole new lighting system, and no longer has enough staff time to care for it properly. Currently it has a BIO wheel that doesn't turn very well, a temperamental pump, plastic plants and 4 fish (assorted and donated). We manage to change 4-6 gall. water per week (40 gall. tank), and keep the pH neutral. What is the most reliable, low-maintenance system available for a popular display tank? We have a small budget ($200) to help upgrade.

Like Us on FACEBOOK

*Content generated by our loyal visitors, which includes comments and club postings, is free of constraints from our editors' red pens, and therefore not governed by I-5 Publishing, LLC's Gold Standard Quality Content, but instead allowed to follow the free form expression necessary for quick, inspired and spontaneous communication.

Fish eClub

Disclaimer: The posts and threads recorded in our message boards do not reflect the opinions of nor are endorsed by I-5 Publishing, LLC, Animal Network nor any of its employees. We are not responsible for the content of these posts and threads.